1. Technical Field
The present invention relates to an apparatus and method for checking for broadcasting schedule overlap in a broadcasting system.
2. Related Art
Recent developments in network technology have disclosed a way of going beyond traditional aerial broadcasting services, and have prompted the development of broadcasting services that can be provided through various media, such as wireless networks, Internet protocol (IP) networks, cable networks and satellite networks.
Such broadcasting services, provided through various media, include a satellite/terrestrial digital multimedia broadcasting service, a video on demand (VOD) service, an electronic program guide (EPG) service, an individual broadcasting service, and so on. Broadcasting formats of the broadcasting services have also become varied.
Furthermore, a common characteristic of broadcasting services provided through various media is that a volume of content (programs, channels) can be provided through an advanced network.
The time taken for a broadcasting provider who provides the broadcasting services to arrange a broadcasting schedule increases as much as the volume of content.
As such, since the service time information of the new program is sequentially compared to the service time information of each program on each channel on a one-by-one basis, in the conventional method of checking for broadcasting schedule overlap, the time taken to perform the check increases in proportion to the number of existing broadcast programs.
Furthermore, in order to arrange the new program regardless of broadcasting channels, the overlap check time sharply increases in proportion to the number of channels and programs.
For example, if there are a hundred channels with thirty programs on each channel, the check for overlap to arrange the new program may be repeated up to 3,000 times, which may take, for example, 15 seconds.
Furthermore, since the check for overlap of the new program with the arranged programs is performed 3,000 times in one day, the total time consumed in performing the check in one week is 1 minute and 45 seconds, and in one month is 7 minutes and 30 seconds.
In checking for overlap in order to additionally arrange new programs, the broadcasting server of the broadcasting system should check for service time overlap and channel overlap with each program already arranged. Thus, the broadcasting time and channel of each program should be sequentially compared on a one-by-one basis. Accordingly, the time consumed in checking for overlap is proportional to the volume of broadcasting content.
Thus, the efficiency of the broadcasting server in managing the broadcasting schedule decreases, and the time taken to additionally arrange new programs increases, making it impossible to provide subscribers with rapid broadcasting service.